ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. chip — for betting
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a document
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. staff — employees
  12. board — a committee
  13. rule — a law
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. file — a line of people
  16. staff — a stick
  17. craft — boats
  18. chip — to eat
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. craft — a skill
  22. staff — employees
  23. rule — government
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com